Combined seaming and pinking machine



Sept. 23, 1947. A 2,427,867

COMBINED SEAMING AND PINKING MACHINE Filed 001:. 9 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .a. .E. A 1 INVENTOR JOSEPH MAN/y BY 2 I ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1947. N 2,427,867

COMBINED SEAMING AND PINKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Shet 2 v ATTORNEY Sept. 23, 1947.

J. MANN COMBINED SEAMING AND PINKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 9, 1942 A m M w 5 7W w m ATTORNEY Sept. 23, '1947. v J. MANN 2 ,867

COMBINED SEAMING AND PINKING MACHINE Filed 001:. 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOSEPH MAN/v TTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1947 COMBINED SEAMIN G AND PINKING MACHINE Joseph Mann, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Lewis Invisible Stitch Machine Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maine Application October 9, 1942, Serial No. 461,438

Claims. (01. 112-124) The invention herein disclosed relates to a combined seaming and pinking mechanism and comprehends a pinking attachment for a sewing machine.

Of the pinking mechanisms heretofore available, that which is commonly termed the chopper type has proven most satisfactory. Such pinking mechanisms include two relatively movable V-shape pinkingknives. One of these knives, that which has aYV-shaped edge is termed the male knife and the other which has a V-shaped notch therein to receive the male knife is often called the ledger blade or female knife. The male knife is reciprocated with respect to the female knife in a chopping like action. The angles of the cutting edges of the knives are different and one is yieldably mounted and resiliently urged toward the other. In this way, during a, cutting stroke, the V-sh'aped edges of the male knife move progressively along the edges of the female knife to the apex. A true shearing action is thus obtained.

An object of the invention herein disclosed is to provide a combined seaming and pinking mechanism, and a pinking mechanism suitable for combining with a sewing machine in which the pinking knives have relative rotative movement and in which a shearing action comparabl to that of the chopper type pinking mechanism is obtained. Another object of the invention is to provide a combined seaming and pinking mechanism in which the bed of the machine is clear. A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which the operator by a very simple manipulation may dispense with the pinking operation.

The foregoing and certain other objects that will hereinafter appear are realized in the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below.

The drawings include:

Fig. 1 which is a side elevation of a combined seaming and pinking mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 which is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation of the pinking mechanism;

Fig. 3 which is a fragmentary, bottom plan of the machine;

Fig. 4 which is an isometric view of the pinking knives;

Fig. 5 which is a fragmentary isometric view of the bottom ofthe machine, a view taken with the machine tilted;

Fig. 6 which is 'a fragmentary isometric view of the bed of the machine;

Fig. 7 which is a fragmentary section elevation taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 which is a fragmentary isometric viewof two pieces of fabric sewn together andvpinked on the machine;

Fig. 9 which is afragmentary side elevation of the presser foot and th'ecloth depresser foot;

and V Fig. 10 which is a fragmentaryend elevation of the same. v

The machine illustrated in the drawings includes a sewing machine of the lock stitch type and of the kind known as a plain stitcher. Such a machine includes a base .or bed I, the upper surface of which constitutes a work support, and.

from one end of which a hollow column 2 extends. The column supports an arm 3 overhanging the base through which the main shaft 4 of the machine extends and in which it is jour-' naled. At the end of the arm 3, ahead "5'is formed thereon in which a needle bar 6 and a presser foot bar 1 are slidably mounted. The needle bar carries a needle 8 and'the presser bar carries a presser foot '9 which overlie the feed dogs.

A hook shaft I0 is journaledbeneath the base of the machine and carries a rotary hook ll positioned to cooperate with the needle for forming stitches. Feed dogs I I are actuated to advance the cloththrough the machine by shafts I2 and I3 also journaled below the base of the machine. The usual mechanism is provided to effect the conjoint operating of this stitch-forming mechanism for effecting a series of stitches. The operating mechanism is driven from the main shaft 4 which is in turn driven through a pulley l4 mounted thereon."

The pinking mechanism is secured to the lower surface ofithe-bedofthe machine. It is carried and, supported by a bracket consisting of a plate 15, secured to the under surface of the bed of the machine, and a downwardly extending arm l6 formed integral with the plate. .The lower end of the arm I6 is semi-circular in shape as illustrated.

The driving mechanismfor thepinking-mechanism includes two parallel shafts l1 and 18 journaled in a bearing bracket I9, mounted on the the arm 16 of the supporting bracket, and s'ecured on the end thereof there is a sprocket 24 Rotatably mounted on the shaft l8, between the sprocket 24 and the arm l6, there is a supporting plate 25. This supporting plate is a. sector of a circle and bears against the side of the arm [6.

It may be secured in operative position through 7 bolts 26 and 21 which extend through arcu'ate slots 28 and 29 respectively in the arm l6 and which are threaded into the disk 25. A link 30 is secured on to the side of the arm 16. This link has an arcuate slot 3| therein and is heldto the arm l6 by two spaced machine screws 32' and 33 extending through the slot and threaded into the arm IS. A straight end 34 on the link Bil-acts as a stop against which the bolt 21' abuts when atone end ofthe slot 29. v

The pinking knives are carried by an arm 35 which is secured to the side o f ,the disk 25 by machine screws 36 and 31. The arm 35 .is secured to the disk by the screws 36 and 31. A central, longitudinal reenforcingrib extends along the length of the arm which extends radially from the disk, At the radially outer end of the arm,35 there is an enlarged extension 38 on which certain elements, hereinafter described, are mounted.

Just prior to the extension 38 a shaft 39 is fixed in the arm. This shaft has rotatably mounted thereon a male knife carrier 40 having a sprocket 4| connected thereto forrotation therewith. The knife carrier has three V-shaped male knives 42 formed thereon, extending radially therefrom and spacedapart through angles of one hundred and'twenty degrees. The sprockets 24 and. 4| are connected by a chain 43 to effect a driving connection therebetween. The gear train is such that the knife-carrier 40 makes one revolution for each nine reciprocations' of the needle.

A female knifeor ledger-blade 44 cooperates with the male knives 42 to effect V-shape cuts in the edge of a fabric coming therebetween. The

ledger; blade includes a vv-shapednotch 45 therein which receives the male knives 42. An extension 46 is provided on the ledger blade for mount-- ment screw bracket 50. A screw 5| threadedlinto the bracket engages one end of a coiled spring 52, the other end of which engages an'abutment 53 on the extension 38. The bracket 50 is split longitudinally and has lugs 54 formed thereon through one of which a clamping sc-rew 55 extends and into the other of which it is threaded. Thus, the adjustment screw 5| may be locked in various positions to maintain the desired resilient pressure on the ledger blade.

It will be noted that .the spring 52 acts to urge the carrier bracket 41 about the pivot screw 48 in a direction to cause the ledger blade to be pressed toward the male knife carrier 40. Movement of the ledger blade in this direction is restricted by the engagement of the outer edges of the V-shaped notch therein with beveled edges 56 on the knife carrier. The knives 42 are of less width than the knife carrier by the amount of the beveled edges. Thus the ledger blade is held in position to receive the base of the knives 42 as they rotate towards the ledger blade and into the: V-shaped notch therein. The effective angle ofthe cutting edges of a male knife is slightly great-- erthan the angle of the cutting edges of the V- shaped notchof-the ledger-blade. Thus, in the: relation indicated in Fig. 4, the base of the male knife first enters the V-shaped notch of the ledgerblada'the cutting edges of the male knife engaging in point contact with the cutting edges of the ledger blade. As the male knife continues to rotate into the ledger blade, the point contact at the. edges continues to the apex, the ledger blade receding against the spring pressure thereon to allow the entry of the male knife.

In the operating position of the pinking mechanism (shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6) the pinking knives are just below the bed of the machine, sli htly to one side of (towards the column 2) and at the rear of the needle (relative to the directionof the feed). The cloth being sewn passes above the bed of the machine and in order for the edge thereof to be brought into proper relation to the'knives, it'is necessary to cause the edge of the cloth to be turned down against the" inclined surface of the ledger blade. For this reason a slot 51 is provided in the needle plate" 58. Cooperatin with the slot 51, there is a cloth depressor foot 59 which is'secured through an integral rod 60 to the presser foot bar 1. In this way the cloth depresser foot is raised and lowered with the presser foot for'the insertion and removal of the work. The main portion of the fabrics being sewn passes to the left of the needle as seen in Fig. l and the edges are caused by the cloth depresser foot 59 to pass down through the slot 51 and between the ledger blade. and. the male knife. knives in a knife carrier, one passes through the. female knife for each three reciprocationsyof the needle. Overlapping cuts are effected whiclire-i sults in the V'-shaped notches fil in the edges of the sewn fabrics 6|. so arranged that each male knife passes into the female knife while the cloth is stationary, that ledger blade, the arm 35 maybe moved about the shaft [8. This may be effected by loosening the machine screws 26 and 21 and moving the disk 25 about the shaft l8 so that the arm 35 assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the screws securing the ledger blade to the bracket 41 are accessible. ,f

For relieving the pressure of the spring s2,a finger lever 62 is provided. This lever ispiv otally secured to the extension 38 by a pivot screw 63. It'is provided with a cam lug 63' which is positioned to engage, in one positionof the lever 62, a lug 64 on the arm 49 of the lever 41. Twolimit screws, 65 and 66, threaded into theextension 38, limit the movement of the finger lever 62. In the position shown in Fig. 5, thelug 63 engages the lug 64 and moves the 1ever 41 in a direction to compress the spring 52 and. move the ledger blade away from the knife carrier 40. The finger lever, whenin the position'shown in Fig, 5', holds the lever 41 against the action'of the'spring As there are three male" The drive connections are 52 and the ledger blade 44 out of contact with the knife carrier.

A chute 51 for the V-shaped chips cut from the edge of the fabric is provided for catching the chips and directing them downwardly away from the mechanism. The chute is secured to the bracket ti through an offset extension 68 and to the arm 49 through a bracket 59 extending from an end Wall it} of the chute. The bracket 63' forms one end wall of the chute and the end wall it] converges toward the bracket. The side walls partially embrace the knife carrier 40, extending up to the ledger blade, and the end Wall '10 is appropriately notched to permit passage of the knives 42.

The machine may be used as a plain stitcher, that is, without pinking. As the pinking mechanism is all below the bed of the machine, the upper surface of the bed is clear and it is only necessary to render the cloth depresser foot ineffective in order to do plain stitching, In order that this may be readily accomplished, the rod 69 of the cloth depresser foot is rotatably mounted in a block H that is secured to the presser foot bar. On the rod 6E! there is secured, for movement therewith, a hexagonal hub 12. To the side of the block a leaf spring 14 is secured by a screw 75, The end of the leaf spring engages and presses upon the hexagonal hub '12.

In Fig. 9, the presser foot bar is shown in the elevated position, the position to Which it is raised when inserting and removing the work. When in this position, the cloth depresser foot 59 is raised out of the slot 51. The leaf Sp H, in the effective position of the cloth depresser foot 58, engages one of the flat surfaces of the hexagonal hub 72 and holds the rod 69 from turning in the block ll. However, when the presser foot bar is elevated, the depresser foot may be moved manually to the position shown in Fig. 10. In this, the ineffective position, the leaf spring M engages another flat surface of the hub 12 and retains the depresser foot in its ineffective position. When the presser foot bar is again lowered, the depresser foot is clear of the bed of the machine, out of the way of the stitching mechanism and so positioned that it does not interfere with the operator.

From the foregoing description of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, it will be seen that by this invention there is provided a combined seaming and pinking mechanism in which relatively angularly movable knives are arranged to secure the shearing action of the chopper type pinker. In addition all of the pinking mechanism is below the bed of the machine, leaving the upper surface of the bed clear. By a simple manipulation of the cloth depresser foot, the machine may be used without pinking as a plain stitcher. Also the pinking mechanism is arranged such that it is readily attached to a sewing machine.

I claim:

1. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksupporting base, pinking mechanism including a bracket secured to the work-supporting base of the sewing machine, an arm extending from and pivotally mounted on the bracket, a rotatably mounted pinking knife supported by the arm, a ledger blade supported by the arm in cooperating relation with the rotatably mounted pinking knife, and means connecting the operating means of the sewing machine for eiiecting movement of the rotatably mounted pinking knife.

2. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksupporting base having an opening therethrough, pinking mechanism including relatively movable, cooperating pinking knives mounted below the work-supporting base at the opening therethrough, a cloth depresser member for pressing the material operated upon through the opening in the work-supporting base and into cutting relation to the pinking knives, the cloth depresser member being movably mounted for movement between effective and ineffective positions, and means connecting said operating means for the stitch-forming mechanism for effecting relative movement of the pinking knives.

3. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, a press-er foot bar, means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a work-supporting base having an opening therethrough, pinking mechanism including relatively movable cooperatin pinking knives mounted below the work-supporting base at the opening therethrough, a cloth depresser member mounted on the said presser foot bar and arranged to press the material operated upon through the opening in the work-supporting base and into cutting relation to the pinking knives, the cloth depresser member being movably mounted for movement between effective and ineffective positions, and means connecting said operating means for the stitch-forming mechanism for effecting relative movement of the pinking knives.

4. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksupporting base, pinking mechanism including a bracket secured to the work-supporting base, an arm carried by the bracket and movable with respect thereto, relatively angularly movable pinking knives carried by the arm, and means connecting the said operating means for the stitch-forming mechanism for effecting relative movement of the pinking knives.

5. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, means for operatin the stitch-forming mechanism and a Worksupporting base, pinking mechanism including a bracket mounted on the work-supporting base, a shaft mounted in the bracket, an arm mounted on the shaft, a rotatable cutter and a shear member yieldably coacting with the cutting edges of the rotatable cutter mounted on said arm and means for positioning the arm on said shaft to position the cutters in operative position with respect to the sewing machine.

JOSEPH MANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,978,291 Bowman Oct. 23, 1934 2,190,651 Chester et a1 Feb. 20, 1940 2,239,743 Sigoda Apr. 29, 1941 2,301,229 Sigoda Nov. 10, 1942 1,956,677 Gruman May 1, 1934 

